Machine construction



Jan. 9,11940.

s. A. HUFFMAN MACHINE CPNSTRUCTION Filed 'oon 19,'1957 :f3 Sheets-Sheet l INVNTOR Wmdlr..

Jan. 9, 1940. s. A. HUFFMAN MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed oct. 19, 195'/ Jan. 9, 1940.`

A. HUFFMAN 2,185,998l

MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed oct. 19, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 my?" 35 30 Y v .30 33 ECN ' INVENTOR Samuel Huffma/ Patented Jan. 9, 1940 PATENT oFFlcs 2,185,998. MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Samuel A. Human, Ben Avon, Pa., assignor. tof

Miller Printing MachineryCo., PttsburghJL, a corporation of Pennsylvaniav Application October. 19, 1937, Sel'alfNo; 169,850 J i0 Claims. (Cl;V 1an-25o) This is a continuation in part of my copending application, Serial lio-134,340, led April l, v1937, for type beds.

l This invention relatesvv to machine construction and particularly to machines subject to temperature change and utilizing elements composed ofk diierent materials having diierent thermal coeicients of expansion.

In many machines it is desirable for various 1b" reasons to construct elements thereof of diierent materials. This presentsno difficulty where the temperature of the machine does not vary materially from` time to time. Where a machine is subject to relativelywide temperature varia- 1f`- tions, however,` composite construction wherein theparts are rigidly secured together as by bolts.

screws, or they like, frequently causes warping,v

distortion andsimilar. effects because the thermal coefficients of expansion of the'usual materials of construction differ so widely.

I have invented a composite construction which avoids the aforementioned. diliculty and permits materials having widely different thermal coefficients to be used in the constructionof machines Y subject to temperature variation, without causing buckling, warping or the like. In accordance with the invention I secure together-.the parts of a composite member `having different coeiiicients of expansion by means which permits relative` equal to the peripheral speed of the' cylinder,

maintained at such linear speed during the printing operation, slowed down and brought to rest, and then returned to its original starting position and brought to rest"thereat. Thus the inertia of the bed mustbe overcome in accelerating it, and the momentum overcome in stopping it, twice during each cycle lof the press. With this vin mind, and in view of the demand forgreater and greater press speeds, lattempts -have been made to reduce the weight of the type-beds while still retainingthe strength required for them to# resist the heavy strains to which they are subt,jec-ted. Amongthese attempts have beenproposals to constructfthe typeebedof aluminum or aluminum alloy or some other metal or material having fthecharacteristic of special lightness.

Ay difficulty arising in connectionr withl attempts lof -the'characterjust mentioned, lies inthe fact that the light fmetals and materials available do not have therequis'ite properties to enable-them to resist, withoutdistortion or`v undue wear, the pressure which would beputupon them, in irregular places, bythe -type `(when pressed on'by" the printing cylinder), or the rolling pressure exerted by'rtlfle` cylinder vv'bearers or by the roller carriages upon"-whichtheftypeebed makes its reciprocating movements. To 4overcome this, it has been proposed to apply, to the light metal of the -type-bedproper,I ,various supplementary members placed'atlocations where-distortion or undue wear ywould otherwise occur. As examples of this, an ironor steel 'plate has been secured to theftop'fface offthe type-bed' so-as to receive the pressure'fexerted by-the type, and iron or steel tracks have been secured beneath the typebed, to run uponthe-roller fcarriages;

Such compositeltype-'bedshave been -found to becomewarped and' distortedfsothat the printing impression is not made with the requisite accuracy; because ofthe .difference between the Coefficient of expansion of the light metal of the type-bedvproper andfth'at of the iron, steel or theflikefemployed-for the supplementary members, l particularly the 4tracks' f-forrunning upon the roller carriages. It'is desirable that these tracks be s'ecuredrigidly tof-the ltype-bed from end to end. Becausev of the difference in expansionf'and contraction, thev tracks willvcause the type-bed to bend/'or lbucklesligntly -in one direc'- thev like,- and lthe supplementaryA pressure or wear-taking portions -are made'fof iron, steel or the like, whichf will remain )true regardless of considerable changes lof temperature. Inv some instances, 'wherey it 'isi not specially `desirable that the supplementar-y'portions be 'rigidly connected atv alll par-ts tofthe, 'type-#bei I may-attain this resul-t by providing #clearances *for permitting contracting or expandingfjmovement.of these por;v

terial suchas'molded plastics, synthetic resinsor -45 I tions relatively to the body of the bed. The To the top of the bodyl portion, along each lontracks for running on the roller carriages, however, present a problem arising from the fact that it is desirable that they be secured rigidly to the type-bed from end to end. I attain the desired result by dividing these tracks up into a series of sections, each rigidly secured to the body of the bed and so short that expansion or contraction can have no' appreciable eect, and shaping the adjoining "ends of adjacent sections obliquely, or otherwise irregularly, so that the rollers of the roller carriage can run from one section to the next section smoothly and without jar. By this means, I am able to obtain the increased press speed permittedfbyV the use of an exceptionally light type-bed while avoiding the disadvantage of variation in the trueness of the type-bed, which disadvantage hasI heretofore, so far as my knowledge goes, always accompanied attempts to employ a composite type-bed of the general character to which reference has beeny made.

The same result may be accomplished in other ways to be described later and the broad prin- Figure 3 is a fragmentary inverted plan, show--l ing the portion of the type-bed adjacent one side thereof; A

Figure 4 is a top plan of the type-bed;

Figure 5 is a section on the line V--V of Fig. 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged section taken on the line VL-V I of Fig. 4;

Figure 'l is an enlarged section taken on the broken line VII- -VII of Fig. 4;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing a modification;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Fig. '7 showing further modication; y

Figure lo is a partial plan view of a bed showing modified means for securing bearers thereto;

Figure li is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing a further modification, and

Figure l2 is a similar View showing a still further rnodication.

The type-bed herein shown is for use in connection with what is known as a two-color printing press, though the ilivention is, of course, equally applicable to the ordinary single-color press. The

type-bed comprises a body portion I5, preferably or ribbed construction, of a length Ysufficient to accommodate the two type formsand their associated devices, and formed at 4the. ends with shelves II for supporting the ink plates. 'Ihis body portion is composed of aluminum or an alloy thereof or some other metal or non-metallic material, such, as molded plastic, having lightness as a characteristic. The `material in question may conveniently be referred to as light material hereafter. With the body portion are associated supplementary members for resisting pressure and/or wear, these members being composed of iron, steel or othermetal or even non-metallic material capable o f performing thedesired function, which metal may conveniently ,be referred to as wearrresisting material.

gitudinal edge thereof, are attached a pair of bearers I2 for engagement by the circular bearers of the cylinders I3. The bearers I2 are of wearresisting material and are held in place by screws I l passing through holes (Fig. 6) which are larger than the screws, providing the clearances permitting relative movement between the bearers and the body portion when expansion or contraction takes place under temperature changes. The bearers are formed with longitudinal recesses I5 underneath their inner edges, for receiving the longitudinal edges of the face plates to be described below.

Upon the shelves I I of the body portion inkplates Il, formed of Wear-resisting material, are mounted. v'I'o provide for movement of these, laterally of the type-bed under temperature changes, their attachment is effected by clearance screws Il', as described in connection with the bearers I2. In addition, keyways are provided in the ink-plates and body portion for receiving keys I8 (Fig. 7) the keyways being longer than the keys. Each ink-plate is formed with a longitudinal recess I9 underneath its inner edge, for receiving the ends of the face plates now to be described.

Upon the top of the body portion I0 there are applied a pair of relatively thin face plates 20 formed of wear-resisting material. These face plates support the type-forms, one for each of the cylinders I3. The longitudinal edges and outer ends of the face plates are confined in the recesses i5 and I9 of the bearers I2 and ink-plates I6, respectively, clearances being provided between the outer edges of the face plates and the inner walls of the recesses, as shown in Figs..6 and 7. The face plates are adjacent to each other, but slightly sep-arated, attheir inner ends, and are there secured to the body portion by means of a clamp bar 2|, held down by screws 22, the shanks of which pass through the space between the adjacent inner ends of the face plates. By this construction, it will be seen that the face plates can move in any direction relatively to the body portion, under the inuence of temperature changes, all edges thereof except that engaged by the bar 2I being free. By using only one screw 22 instead of several as shown, the face plates may be anchored to the bed at substantially one point' only, permitting the utmost freedom of relative movement.

In the case of the bearers, ink-plates and face plates just described, acertain relative movement with respect to the body portion, such as would occur by reason of the various clamping means being overcome by the forces of expansion and contraction, is permissible. In the case of the roller tracks, however, such relative movement is usually undesirable because they are subjected to heavy pressures and reciprocate at high speeds In meeting this diiiiculty, I divide each of the roller tracks (which are four in number) into a plurality of sections 223 each rigidly secured to the under side of the body portion of the type-bed. The sections of each track are disposed end to end, with a slight clearance between the adjacent ends. These adjacent ends are preferably, though not necessarily, cut obliquely (as indicated at 2d, Fig. 3) so that the tracks can run smoothly upon the rollers of the roller carriages 25, without any jarring or shaking when the rollers pass from one track-section to the next. The track-sections yare so short that their expansion or. 'coni'.racti'oni can; haver no# appreclabl'e'fJ effect, upon the trueness of the.r type-bed. a

Figure f-illustrates roller tracksxwhich areY in one piecefand. are .l secured z rigidly; totA the bed throughout their,` full length; butfare permittedto havealongitudin'al movement relative thereto. As there shown, tracks 30 are dovetailedinto a bed 3l.v The tracks are. secured against substantial movement relative tozthe-bedby a single pin` o-r screw. (notshown). This mode of attachment permits free expansion and contraction of the tracks' but utilizes tracks in one piece.

Figure 8: also shows azbearer 32 similarly dovetailed'zto the be'd3l; It is. also' heldin placev by' asinglepin or screw 32a.and,is otherwise. free to expand and contract relative to the bed.v "The dove-tailed 4portions of both the tracks and bearer vholdthese parts'against movement away from the bed.

A Figure 9 illustrates theattachment of an inkplate `,and a clamp bar tothe bed by means similar. `tothat just described. An ink-plate 33 has a.dove.tail 34 fittingin a correspondingly shaped recessin'the bed 3|. The clamp bar 35 has a I'-similar dove ltail 36. Theink plate and clamp bar In such case, the face plates shown at 31 are` free at all points to move i'n any direction in the v plane of the bed. l

Figure illustrates bearers 38 formed in short sections, each of which is rigidly secured tothe bed, for example by screws 39. This is simply another application of the principle of the sectional tracks 23.

Figure 11 shows another means of securing the face plate to the bed without precluding movement of the plate in the vplane of the bed.v As shown in Figure 11, a face plate 40 is held on a bed 4| bya bar 42 having a recessed edge. The bar 42 may be `a bearer such as l2, or a clamp bar such as 2|. A wedging strip 43 of rubber or other similar material, is disposed between the face plate and the overhanging edge of the barl 42. The face plate is thus held firmly in place on the bed but is permitted to'move freely in all directions in the plane of the bed. The strip 43 need not be continuous as short lengths thereof along each edge of the bed will suice to hold the plate in place. 1

Figure 12 is similar to Figure 11 but shows@4 instead of the rubber strip 43, one of a number of spring pressed plungers 44 seated in suitable bores in the overhanging edge of the bar 45,

vfor yieldably urging the face plate against the surface of the bed.

In addition to employing a type-bed of light material with ink plates, bearers, tracks, etc., of iron or steel, `I may make such parts ofv light weight material and secure them to a type-bed of iron or steel. I have in mind particularly, that relatively light weight .beds may be fabricated from steel memberssuitably secured together as by welding. I may also employ Wear-receiving parts such as those specified, of light material with a type-bed of similar material.

material, secured, as describedherein, to typebeds of iron..or steel or other'lighter metal such 'as aluminumy or its alloys. I

It will-bezclear from the foregoing'that the invention provides means forsecuring together var-- ious machine elementswhich, for functional rea. sons, are preferably .composed of differentmate.- rials having differentv coefficients of expansion.

derstood that changes in the construction and arrangement-'disclosed maybe made without departing from. the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the appended claims. I claim: 1. A printing press `type-bed comprising a body portion formedof metal weighing less than steel and roller tracks formedof Wear-resisting metal,

disposed end to end,.f the adjacent ends of the sections being in proximityr and `disposed otherwise than at right angles to the length of the track.

l2. A printing press type-bed comprising a body portion formed of metal, Weighing less than steel and roller tracks formed of wear-resisting metal,

each of said tracks being constituted by a plurality of sections secured to the body portion and disposed end to end, the adjacent-.ends of the sections being disposed in proximity and obliquely with respect to the length of the track.

3. In a printing press, the combination with a type-bed composed of a relatively light Weight material, of a relatively thin face plate of Wearresisting material disposed on said bed, and means securing said plate on said bed including a bar extending along said plate, the edge of said bar having an edge recess adapted to receive the plate edge, with suiiicient clearance between said plate and said bar to permit diierential expansion and contraction thereof.

4. A printing-press type bed comprising a body portion of light-weight metal and roller tracks formed of wear-resisting metal having a coeicient of thermal expansion differing from that of the metal` of the bed body, each of said tracks being constituted by a plurality of sections secured to the body portion and disposed end to end, the adjacent ends of the sections being in proximity and overlapping so as to give the eifect of a continuous track. a

5. A printing-press type bed comprising a Abody portion of light-Weight metal and roller tracks formed of wear-resisting metal having a coeficient of thermal expansion differing from that of the metal of the bed body, each of said tracks being constituted by a plurality of sections secured to the body portion and disposed end to end, the sections being so short that the differentialthermal expansion or contraction of the metal of the bed and the tracks does not cause 'warping of the bed even through the sections are rigidly connected to the bed.

I"V alsof contemplatethei user-:oft- Wear-resisting. members `ofmolded plastic, or other vlight weight 6. In a printing press, the combination With a type bed composed of a relatively light-weight material, of an ink plate composed of a material having a coeicient of thermal expansion diierent from that of said light-Weight bed material and extending across the bed at an end thereof, means for locking the ink plate against movement longitudinally of the bed While permitting movement laterally thereof, and means for securing the ink plate against the bed having provision for limited lateral movement therebetween to compensate for differences in thermal expansion.

7. In a printing press, the combination with a type bed composed of relatively light-Weight material, of a bar of Wear-resisting material having a coeflicient of thermal expansion different from that of the light-Weight bed material dovetailed to the bed so as to lock the bar against movement in all directions except longitudinally thereof, and means for locking the bar against longitudinal Withdrawal from the bed While permitting longitudinal thermall expansion thereof With relation to the bed.

8. In a printing press, the combination with a type bed composed of relatively light-Weight material, of a bar of Wear-resisting material having a coefficient of thermal expansion different from that of the light-weight material, means for securing the bar to the bed and locking it against all movement except movement longitudinally of the bar, and means for preventing longitudinal withdrawal of the bar from the bed iining the face plate including bearers along the Sides ofthe bed and an ink plate at one end of the bed, and means `at one edge of the-faceV plate for anchoring it tol the bed, there being provision for relative movement between the face plate and its' conning means to permit differential thermal expansion between the face plate and the bed.

10.7In a printing press, the combination with a type bed composed of relativelyl light-Weight material, of a thin face plate of Wear-resisting material having a coefficient of thermal expansion dilerent from that of` said light-Weight material disposed on the -bed, means for confining the face plate on the bed including bearers along the sides of the bed and an ink plate at one end of the bed, and means for anchoring the face plate at one point, there being provision for differential movement between the face plate and its confining bearers and ink plate.

' SAMUEL A. HUFFMAN. 

